'Stockport County's promotion to League One will really help put our up-and-coming town on the map'

Stockport County fans believe their club’s promotion is another sign that they live in a town on the up. 

Dave Challinor’s side are heading back to League One after 14 years following their League Two title triumph. On Sunday, an open-top bus parade took players and staff from a private reception at the town hall, through streets lined with thousands of fans, before finishing up at Edgeley Park. 

Edwin Powell, 53, has been supporting the club for 44 years. 

“An actual football league trophy, it’s the first one I’ve seen and probably a lot of the fans have seen all the generation - it’s something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life,” he told ManchesterWorld. 

“It’ll give the town a huge huge boost - it’s developing a new bus station, new apartments, this is going to give the town a humongous lift.”

Nursery cook Kirsty Hazlehurst, 33, started supporting County last year after following in her kids’ footsteps. 

“All the games we’ve been to just recently they’re just playing absolutely amazing, it’s just brilliant,” she said. “As a community, everyone comes together like a big family and it’s just amazing, they deserve it, they’ve just done so well. It just brings everyone together and it’s just a great atmosphere, everyone’s so happy and joyful.”

Liam Matthews, 43, travels from Llandudno to back his side. He said: “It’s a great achievement to get back to League One, I can remember the days of the Championship, so it’s great.”

Retired engineer Phillip Wright, 73, lives in the town and has been supporting the club since he was just six. 

“Through thick and thin, ups and downs, all weathers, all players,” he said. “We’re always touching the promotion, but now 14 years later we’ve got the right backing, we’ve got the right team, we’ve certainly got the right manager, which is unbelievable. I think it’ll put Stockport more on the map.”

Tom Madden, 38, is a commercial manager from Stockport. He shared in the celebrations with his daughter Sadie, nine. 

“It’s just surreal, me and my wife met at Stockport, we've been taking my children since they were four, so they’ve seen almost as many promotions as I have,” he said. “(Owner) Mark Stott’s put his money exactly where his mouth is, and he’s followed through with every promise. 

“As much as it’s fantastic and it’s a step forward, I think everyone’s just revving themselves up for League One.” 

He said he thinks the success of the team is only going to add to Stockport as an up-and-coming town. 

“You walk through Stockport and it’s slowly starting to look like Manchester - it’s only going to get better and better, it’s fantastic,” Tom added.